J.D. Power’s study found that 14 percent of cell phone users are considering switching carriers because of dropped calls and other problems. And among those who say they “definitely will” switch carriers, dropped calls are up by a third from six months ago.

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) topped the rankings in the region including Maryland, Delaware, D.C., New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. On average, cell phones users in the region reported nine call problems per 100 calls.

Nationwide, wireless customers who say they “definitely” plan to switch carriers have call issues, including dropped calls, static, voice distortion or echoes, 20 percent of the time. Those customers have four times more call problems than customers who said they “definitely will not” switch carriers.

“With an increasingly competitive environment and the complexity of services often used in conjunction with cell phones steadily on the rise, carriers that offer superior network quality may improve their likelihood of attracting new customers, Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D. Power, said in a statement.